Feds Hold Summits Seeking Answers to Decreasing Vehicle Accident Fatalities

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

A recent CNBC report may have you gripping the wheel a bit tighter as it is estimated that by the year 2035, there will be 1.7 billion vehicles on the road worldwide. Although the projected growth will be heavily evident in China, the United States is expected to see a boost upwards as 660 vehicles per 1,000 U.S. citizens, will be making the daily commute a bit more congested. As this occurs, it is only logical that the number of car accidents will also be on the rise.

The report appears to have caught the attention of both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT).

In response to the steep increase in the number of car accident fatalities in 2015, The U.S. DOT and NHTSA organized one of several regional summits driven to address traffic safety behavior changes.

Born of the Highway Safety Act of 1970 and dedicated to establishing strict standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety, with the collaboration of the U.S. DOT, responsible for the maintenance of our vast infrastructure, remain dedicated to preventing the number of car accident related fatalities and the cost involved, both human and financial.

As the first summit convened in Sacramento, the NHTSA prepared to examine human error and how it contributes to 94 percent of all car crashes. With the expansion of the number of cars sharing the road, there is no mystery as to why human error may be responsible for this increase.

During the summit, U.S. Transportation Secretary, Anthony Foxx noted that even with decades of increased driving safety improvements on U.S. roads by the U.S. DOT, the increase in the percentage of car crash fatalities lies credence that more needs to be accomplished.

The NHTSA statistically estimated that more than 26,000 people fell victim to car accidents resulting in fatalities and this number covered only the first nine months of 2015. This is in comparison to the 23,796 fatalities reported for the first nine months of 2014, a dramatic increase ranging from two to 20 percent.

Dr. Mark Rosekind, a NHTSA administrator also involved in the summit program, urged those in attendance to push for behavioral changes in traffic safety through new initiatives to combat such issues as driving under the influence and failure to buckle up.

As with the first summit, the series will continue to engage and encourage new partners to cultivate fresh ideas as a means to generate new approaches to the continuum of preventable human error driving situations. As new red flags appear everyday, the U.S. DOT and the NHTSA hope not only to discuss preventable measures for drunk and distracted driving but to address speeding, failure to use seat belts and child safety seats but to also address how to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

As the number of cars on the road increases so does the risk associated with becoming involved in an accident. If you or a loved one have recently been injured and believe human error was involved the experienced Lake County personal injury lawyers of Salvi & Maher, LLP can help. Contact our offices to learn more about your legal options today.

Sources:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/49796736

http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/nhtsa-sees-roadway-deaths-increasing-02052016